State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam has said Bangladesh is committed to continuing its partnership with Nepal and will work to take it to a new height in the coming years.

"We happily look back at the last fifty years of relationship," he said, adding that the two countries can work together to face the challenges of graduation from the group of the least developed countries (LDCs).

The state minister was addressing a reception hosted by Charge d'Affaires at the Nepalese Embassy in Dhaka Kumar Rai at a city hotel Friday, marking the 50 years of diplomatic ties.

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Bangladesh and Nepal established diplomatic relations on April 8, 1972.

Shahriar said Nepal is one of the first few countries to recognise Bangladesh as a sovereign country and Bangladesh recognised 11 eminent personalities of Nepal including the incumbent foreign minister of Nepal as "Friends of Bangladesh" for their contribution to the country's cause in 1971.

He noted that Bangladesh has been maintaining friendly relations with its neighbours guided by the philosophy of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

The state minister expressed satisfaction with the recent growth of trade between Bangladesh and Nepal and called for concluding a preferential trade agreement to reap the untapped potential.

As hosts of the secretariats of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation and the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation, he stressed that Kathmandu and Dhaka should contribute to promoting peace and prosperity in the regions.

Also, the president and the prime minister of Bangladesh issued special messages on the 50th anniversary of Dhaka-Kathmandu ties.

President Abdul Hamid gratefully recalled the support extended by the people and political leadership of Nepal during Bangladesh's Liberation War in 1971.

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He stated that after establishing diplomatic ties on April 8, 1972, Bangladesh and Nepal have been maintaining very friendly relations.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina emphasised that Bangladesh would remain committed to working together with Nepal to further strengthen the collaboration and partnership in areas of trade, investment, connectivity, energy cooperation and tourism.

To commemorate the day on the 50th anniversary, the Embassy of Bangladesh to Nepal, in collaboration with the Nepal Council for World Affairs organised an event in Kathmandu, with Dr Narayan Khadka, minister of foreign affairs of Nepal, as the chief guest.

The video messages sent from the state minister and foreign secretary of Bangladesh were screened.

The president and the prime minister of Nepal also delivered special messages.